Balloon Terminator: Destruction Performance Artist Jan Hakon Erichsen Introduction and Interview

Jan Hakon Erichsen is a performance artist from Norway. Since the end of 2017, Jan has been uploading short videos or photos of destroying different objects on Instagram every day. The objects destroyed in the video are mostly balloons, but also other everyday objects such as pasta, bananas, tea cups, etc. There are two most obvious features that make Jan's work different from ordinary Destruction videos: First, he destroys these everyday objects with a new elaborate Rube Goldberg mechanical "Destruction Machine" each time. . Second, Jan doesn't appear angry or manic at all in the video. Every time, he will operate the destruction machine step by step to reach the other side of the destruction. At the same time, he pays great attention to the protection of his hearing.

As of today (2020-04-09), Jan's 961 Instagram posts have attracted more than 700,000 followers, and many viewers say his Destruction Diaries series of video work brings a strange feeling of satisfaction. But Jan had a different idea . There is a mentality and way of doing things unwritten in Jan's hometown of Northern Europe. It is called "Nordisk tungsinn" in Scandinavian, which can be translated as "Nordic sadness", which probably means that people need time. Thinking about the heaviness and struggles in life. Jan has said in previous interviews that he doesn't mind that his work only brings people hahaha, but he wants the interested audience to see what's beneath the surface.

In fact, after reading a lot of Jan's works, it is not difficult to realize that his works actually contain a kind of melancholy under the absurdity and humor. Although the various destruction machines made by Jan have strange shapes, and the lethality is sometimes less than 5 and sometimes more than 9000, he always uses these destruction machines in a posture similar to a trapped person, and implements them according to the designed steps. Destruction process, rather than killing at will. Jan's use of these destruction machines to destroy things is like the daily routine of an ordinary person: people routinely repeat what they did yesterday, day after day, without realizing that in this step-by-step process An invisible destroying machine that destroys some things in life without knowing it at some point in time.

I caught up with Jan, and let's take a look at what inspired the artist of destruction and what he thinks about his work:

Please introduce yourself first.

I'm an artist from Norway and my main work is video, performance art and sculpture. I graduated from the Norwegian National Academy of Arts in Oslo in 2004 and have been working in Oslo since then. Initially my work was mainly published in traditional galleries and museums, but recently I have started to focus on posting my work online.

I couldn't help but ask: How many balloons have you destroyed in total, have you counted them?

I haven't counted how many balloons have been sacrificed in my hands. I usually go to wholesale balloons, buy 100 large bags at a time, and use up one to two bags every month.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?

I am inspired by pioneers of performance and video art such as Bruce Nauman, Chris Burden and Rebecca Horn. What I'm doing now is actually what these pioneers have done, I'm just merging them with the popular online video culture of our time.

I've found that many people who follow you will say there is a "weird satisfaction" after reading your work. Is this your original intention? Do you feel the same way these viewers do when you successfully destroy items?

In fact, I never thought my work would feel this way until I first saw people make such comments. But now I use that feeling and make it part of my work. I do feel frustrated if the process of destroying is unsuccessful. So I think I feel the same way as the audience when I do sabotage now!

Do your various machine-destroying ideas pop into your head at random? Or do you need to systematically experiment to get these ideas?

While many viewers may feel that the ideas in my videos are random and random, I do have to go through constant ideation and experimentation to get a working solution.

You appear calm in the video, and the process of destruction is like the day-to-day struggle of a trapped person. Is the "Nordic Melancholy" we mentioned just now a factor that affects your creation?

I think you're on point. In addition to the absurd and ridiculous on the surface, there are many desolate and melancholy emotions beneath my works. Destroying objects with these elaborate machines often requires only a slight push or a kick. Inadvertently, things were destroyed like this, but at the same time, I was also put in danger, which really has a dark feeling in it. The daily struggles in life do have a big impact on my creations.

If your "Doom Diaries" series were music, which genre would it be in? (Don't say "Pop!")

Just listening to the voice, I think "Pop" didn't run. I often feel that my work should be part of the more lo-fi indie rock scene. My installations are often barely working, not very solid, and are often one step away from the collapse, which is about the same as listening to Dinosaur Jr. or Pavement playing a piece. Just screwing it up feels similar.

Do you have any plans for a short film or movie with a complex plot in the future? Like putting all your destruction devices in a movie. (Not necessarily a horror movie :)

I've never been interested in constructing narratives in my work, so instead of complex plots in my work, the construction of those destroying machines will become more and more complex.

Do you have any transcendental plans for the future?

For now I just want to continue what I'm doing, and I'll focus on expanding the materials used and also expanding the design of the Destruction Machine. But at the same time I thought maybe I should try doing it live in front of an audience.

I wish Jan's road of destruction goes farther and farther, and more and more tricks!

Want to learn more? Please visit:

Jan Hakon Erichsen's Instagram

Jan's personal website

Poppel Yang

Original on 2019-08-20, modified on 2020-04-09

Note: This article was first published in the "Other Dimensions" column of VICE China (now renamed "BIE Others" ). For commercial and non-commercial reprints, please contact " BIE Others ".